


Insubordination

by pikablob



Category: Codename: Kids Next Door
Genre: Crushes, F/F, Hurt/Comfort, Reconciliation, Requited Love, Rewrite, Sector Z Get Recommissioned
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-14
Updated: 2021-03-14
Packaged: 2021-03-21 18:53:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 13,517
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30026289
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pikablob/pseuds/pikablob
Summary: Tired of feeling underappreciated by Numbuh 362, Numbuh 86 makes a drastic decision that jeopardises both her own position and the Kids Next Door's plan to recommission Sector Z.
Relationships: Fanny Fulbright | Numbuh 86/Rachel T. McKenzie | Numbuh 362, Rachel T. McKenzie | Numbuh 362 & Nigel Uno | Numbuh 1, Rachel T. McKenzie | Numbuh 362 & Numbuh 0.3
Comments: 4
Kudos: 6





	1. Best Laid Plans

Fanny Fulbright, Numbuh 86 of the Kids Next Door, was not in a good mood. Being Global Tactical Officer wasn’t easy on a good day, and that day had been anything but. So, when Numbuh 362 had asked her to head down the Moonbase’s 2x4 labs and ask about some new project, she was glad for the change of duties, even if she would never admit it.

Her boots pounded on the station’s deck as she marched up to the lab doors, giving them a firm shove open. Beyond the room was quiet, the distant sounds of machinery echoing, kids in lab coats hunched over a variety of experiments in-progress. None of them dared look up; no doubt they already knew who their visitor was.

“Alright!” she roared. “I want a progress report on project A113, now!”

“We- We've had a few setbacks, sir,” the nearest unlucky soul turned up from his workstation. “What Numbuh 362 wants isn’t exactly easy to get.”

“Why not?” she demanded, stomping towards him.

“Well for starters- eek!” The scientist didn't have time to finish. She grabbed him by the collar, yanking him towards her, onto his tiptoes.

“Get the point!” she demanded, not in the mood for more complications.

“It's the p-power, sir,” he struggled to explain, withering under her gaze, “according to the Supreme Leader’s specifications we need eleventy-billion units, but we don't even really know how much that is.” Fanny wanted to facepalm; they were hung up on something that simple?

“‘tee’ on the end means add a zero, dunnit?” she shot back, shoving him out of her grasp. He stumbled back. “So ya just take eleven, then a zero, then a billion. Ain't hard.”

The scientist looked around; his colleagues shrugged or nodded slowly. He swallowed and turned away, scampering back over to his computer. Fanny followed him over, watching as his shaking hands brought up a blueprint and started typing in digits. She felt her impatience grow as the thing sputtered out a calculation; steam might as well have been coming from her ears by the time it was done.

“Th-That might work,” he said hopefully. “We could easily build the prototype to take that much power, but-”

“But what?” she demanded.

“We can't generate that much power on Moonbase, e-even with the upgrades,” he stammered, tensing under his coat. “The new Hamster Power Core has enough juice in theory, but the vast majority of it goes straight into critical systems. Diverting it just isn't feasible.” Fanny frowned.

“So what?” she demanded. “Why can’t we just get more hamsters?” She couldn’t see why not; all their power came from the creatures, running in wheels in the heart of the base; surely, they could just plug a few more of those wheels in?

“Th-that would mean expanding the power core itself,” the scientist stammered, “and then we’d have to get the Supreme Leader herself to renegotiate with the hamster union; it would be more trouble than it’s worth.”

“Well then find another solution, will ya?!” she barked; she hated being wrong. “Numbuh 362 needs results, not setbacks.” She turned to leave, frustration brimming. “Dismissed!”

She strode out of the labs briskly, heading straight back up to the Moonbase bridge. No doubt Rachel McKenzie, the Supreme Leader herself, would still be up there overseeing operations and filing paperwork, waiting for Fanny’s return. Fanny hated having to disappoint the other girl, but 2x4 hadn’t exactly given her a choice.

She made quick work of the walk, arriving up top in minutes. Rachel was there, as expected, hunched over her desk. A tall stack of snacks and treats requisition forms awaiting her approval loomed over head, but her eyes instead lingered on a small photo-frame sitting beside them. Fanny felt some sympathy at the sight; she knew the position of Supreme Leader worked her friend to the bone.

Rachel heard her approach, her head lifting up, tired eyes meeting Fanny’s. She was good at hiding her emotions, but Fanny knew her well enough to see the worry and hope mingling in her eyes.

“Supreme Leader Numbuh 362, sir!” she snapped to attention.

“At ease,” Rachel replied. “So, is it good news?”

“Nah.” Fanny shrugged frustratedly. “They hadn't even worked out eleventy-billion in numbers 'till I showed up. And, apparently, they can't generate that much 'ere; seems like all our new upgrades are useless.”

“Oh,” the light faded from Rachel's eyes for a moment. She looked down, her chin coming to rest in her hand, uncharacteristic sadness rising in her expression for a moment before she smothered it. Fanny felt a spike of concern at the sight.

“Y'alright Rachel?” she asked, her tone far softer than usual. Despite her reputation she did genuinely consider the Supreme Leader a close friend; she was the only person she knew, besides Numbuh 1, who could get away with calling her by her real name.

“Yeah.” Rachel let out a long sigh, her hardened expression softening. “I'm fine, Fanny, I just need a moment to think.”

Fanny hated seeing her like this. She wished she could do something to help; whatever this mysterious project was, it was clearly important to Rachel. But this wasn’t a problem she could fight with weapons or decommission out of existence, so she just waited as the gears in Rachel’s head turned.

“Numbuh 86,” the other girl suddenly snapped, all business once again. The light was back in her eyes; Fanny could tell she had found a solution.

“Tell 2x4 that I want a prototype capable of withstanding over eleventy-billion units of power ready by next week,” she ordered briskly. “It needs adaptors for all major power connections available; I know exactly where we can get that power.”

“Aye sir,” Fanny's guard went up in tandem, and she snapped a quick salute.

“Dismissed.” Rachel looked back down to her paperwork. Fanny nodded, spinning on her heels, and turned away. As she headed back for the elevators, although Rachel couldn't see it, her heart swelled with new determination.

* * *

The finished prototype was far from what Fanny had been expecting. She had come back down to the labs that day expecting some terrifying new weapon, based on the power demands, but instead 2x4 had created a strange fusion of an old camera and a bicycle, the length of a sniper rifle and much heavier.

The body was a long wooden box, narrowing towards the business end, where a short brass barrel that looked more like a lens protruded. A gear jutted out halfway up the body, connected by a chain to a smaller cog at the rear. A bicycle seat post formed the stock, mounted so the seat pressed against the user’s shoulder. The sights were large, flanked by lightbulbs and a small power gauge, while thick cabling trailed behind the thing, flaring out into a hydra of different plugs.

What on earth could such a clunky weapon be used for, especially it had to be plugged in to a Moonbased-sized generator? If it really needed that much power, surely it should have been mounted on something? But Fanny didn’t like to question Rachel, at least not openly, so she didn’t voice her concerns.

“So,” she rounded on the unfortunate boy who had shown her the weapon instead. “Does this thing work?”

“In theory,” the kid said quickly, withering a little at her gaze. “It functions correctly at regular power levels, and it should be able to handle up to two-hundred billion units of power under load.”

“Two 'undred?” Fanny raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. “Dunnit just need to take eleventy?”

“We're taking 'eleventy' as one-hundred-and-ten,” he explained, before rapidly adding, “per your orders. If that's the regular load then we need to be prepared for surges up to at least eighteenty, maybe more.”

“Fine,” she said bluntly, unable to fault his logic. “362 ‘ad better be happy with this.”

She didn’t wait for his reply. She spun on her heel, heading briskly away from the 2x4 labs and towards the bridge once more. With the prototype ready, then maybe Rachel's mysterious plan would work. Fanny just wished she knew what it was.

As she got into the elevator she couldn’t help wondering; did anyone else know about this strange project? Was she the only one? She knew Rachel trusted her. But she also knew, despite how much it made her skin crawl, that the Supreme Leader had a closer relationship with Sector V and its leader than she did with the other sectors; had they already been told?

She buried the thought, steeling herself as the elevator rattled to a halt at the command deck. The doors slid open with a creak, revealing the massive window that looked out over the Earth and the many desks and screens of Global Command below it. Kids scurried about all over the deck.

Rachel was right in the middle of it all, pacing back and forth; that wasn’t a good sign. Fanny hurried over.

“Is it ready?” Rachel didn’t even give her a chance to salute.

“Aye, it is.” Fanny nodded firmly. “They've finally stopped bein’ useless.”

“It was a tall order,” Rachel checked her. “But that is good news.” She turned away, hands clasping behind her back as she looked out of the window, her expression hardening. “I need you to contact Sector V; I want them on Moonbase at twenty-three-hundred tonight for an extra secret, quintuple importanic mission.”

“To do with that prototype?” Fanny couldn’t help asking, feeling something snap inside at the thought. Of course, it had to be that group, just like always.

“Yes, Numbuh 86.” Rachel seemed to sense her friend’s frustration. She left no room for argument. “Understood?”

“Aye, sir.” Fanny stiffened, burying her emotions and snapping a brisk salute. She turned away with all the respect she was supposed to show to the Supreme Leader, but as soon as Rachel was out of earshot, she let out a snarl of rage and stormed off for the communications centre.

Sector V again? Really? It was always them, regardless of what needed to be done, never another sector and especially never _her_. The thought of Numbuh 1 especially at this point made her want to punch something. The number of times he should've been decommissioned for his behaviour alone made her blood boil.

She had worked her rear end off to get where she was, while Numbuh 1 could just waltz in there and take whatever he wanted. Even her position, second in command of the entire Kids Next Door, was only hers because he hadn’t wanted it; that cut deep, knowing she would always be second to him. She just wished that whatever Rachel saw in him, she would see in Fanny as well.

She slammed the brakes on her train of thought before it could go further. She wasn't going down that rabbit hole again, because she knew exactly what Rachel saw in Nigel Uno. She was already fit to burst with rage, and whenever she thought about _that_ her mood tended to go downhill fast.

Still, for all of her frustration, she would still contact Sector V and have Numbuhs 1 through 5 come to the Moonbase. But only because it was what Rachel wanted.

* * *

Sector V’s S.C.A.M.P.E.R drifted lazily into the Moonbase hangar, thrusters shutting down under the watchful gaze of multiple ground control operatives. The ship landed with a soft thud on the decking, doors sliding open with a quiet hiss. From within the agents of Sector V stepped out, led by Nigel Uno himself.

Rachel was there to greet them on the deck, Fanny standing close at her side, her resentment barely concealed. Rachel cracked a slight smile at the arrival of a long-time close friend, but it quickly dissolved back into her regular seriousness. There was a sense of gravity in the air as the sector approached.

“You wanted us here, sir?” Nigel raised an eyebrow behind his sunglasses.

“Yes, Numbuh 1,” she replied briskly, “There's something important I need to ask of your sector. Follow me.”

She led the group quickly up to the command deck, all business. Murmurs ran between the other operatives; from what Fanny could overhear, it seemed they knew as little as she did. That made her feel slightly better, at least, glad that she wasn’t the only one being kept in the dark.

Finally, they reached the bridge. Rachel headed for the main command table, stopping at the thing’s control panel, and the others followed, taking up positions around it. Fanny made a point of standing next to Rachel; Nigel stood close to her other side, while the rest filed in around the table.

“So,” she began, “I’ve called your sector here for a super-secret mission. I know this is short notice, but it can’t wait.”

“We understand,” Nigel said briskly. Numbuhs 2 and 5 nodded in agreement.

Rachel hit a button and the table’s hologram projectors flickered to life, displaying a green wireframe of a massive, ornate mansion. All the kids present knew the place; Fanny couldn’t help feeling concerned at the sight. But she held her tongue, and nobody else said anything as the display zoomed in until the rooms up to the second floor could be seen in detail.

“As you all know,” Rachel began, looking around the assembled operatives, “this is the Delightful Mansion From Down The Lane, as it was rebuilt after the Grandfather incident. Our intelligence suggests that the floor plan should be the same as it was before-”

“We're goin' in there?!” Wally Beetles exclaimed, cutting her off.

“Numbuh 4!” Nigel snapped. Rachel rolled her eyes.

“Yes,” she continued, seemingly unfazed. “I need you test a new weapon against the Delightful Children From Down The Lane.”

“Uh, no offence, sir,” Hoagie Gilligan interrupted, “but wouldn't that be easier during the day?”

“No,” she cut him off, shaking her head, “because in order to power this weapon you'll need to infiltrate the mansion and connect it to the power grid here.” She leaned over the table and pressed another button. A blinking red light appeared amid the holographic blueprint, right down in the bowels of the house’s basement. “In the delightfulisation room.”

Shock ran out through the group. “Numbuh 5 doesn't like this,” Abigail Lincoln said darkly, folding her arms.

“It's crazy!” Wally agreed with a frantic nod.

“Calm down,” Nigel interjected, his tone firm. He looked over, meeting Rachel’s gaze behind his sunglasses. “Numbuh 362, sir; is this absolutely the only way to power this new weapon?”

“Yes.” Rachel left no room for argument. “This is the only way; we absolutely must have eleventy-billion units of power, at least, or this whole operation will be for nothing. And Father’s the only person we know with equipment capable of generating that.”

Her façade cracked just a little as she spoke, and for a moment Fanny felt a twinge of concern; she was sure this operation was a personal one. But then she looked over the other faces; while the rest of Sector V were confused, Nigel’s face was frozen in surprise, and suddenly she got the horrible sense that he knew something about this that she didn’t.

“Eleventy-billion?” he asked slowly, his characteristic confidence shaken. “Against the Delightful Children? Is this… what I think it is, sir?”

“Yes, Numbuh 1,” Rachel replied, something unreadable in her expression, “it is.”

Fanny felt something snap, deep inside; her worst fears were playing out right in front of her. She couldn’t be trusted with this, and yet Nigel Uno was? Was Rachel being serious? She was aware of the briefing continuing, but she hardly listened, fuming silently.

“Numbuh 86!” Rachel’s voice slashed through her thoughts. Fanny looked up; there was frustration in the other girl’s eyes, but if she had noticed Fanny’s anger, she didn’t admit it. “I want you to head down to the labs and retrieve the new prototype, understood?”

“Aye, sir.” Fanny saluted quickly, burying her emotions. She turned away, leaving the briefing to continue behind her, unable to keep her thoughts from spiralling.

Everyone had their breaking points, and Fanny had just reached hers. She was tired of blatant favouritism, of being underappreciated, of being left out by her direct superior and closest friend, of always being second best. And she was sure she knew what it all came back to, too; as much as she hated to admit it, Fanny was sure Rachel had feelings for the leader of Sector V.

She wasn’t going to sit back and take it any longer. She felt an idea settle in her mind, a horrible, dark thing that latched on to her brain and refused to be silent; she had all the details she needed to complete this mission alone. She could take the prototype, fly down to the mansion herself, and resolve whatever personal interest Rachel had on her own.

Then Rachel would see; she was just as good as stupid Nigel Uno. When she returned to Moonbase a hero her insubordination would be forgotten; that had always worked for Sector V. And once she returned, then maybe Rachel would…

No, Fanny reminded herself, she wasn't going to think about that now, or ever if she could help it. She had to prevent her thoughts from wandering to _that_ little subject if she wanted to complete this mission. She shook the thought from her mind, forcing herself to concentrate.

By the time she reached the 2x4 labs she was sure this was what she had to do. The researchers looked up for a second as she entered, throwing the doors wide open, then tried their hardest to ignore her.

“Right!” she yelled at the top of her lungs, seizing their attention. “Where's that prototype?!”

“Uhh, right here, sir,” one of them said quickly, standing up from his desk. He shuffled awkwardly over to one of the worktables, where the thing was resting.

“Bring it to me,” she barked, “that’s an order!”

He obliged, awkwardly hefting the thing with a grunt and carrying over. She reached out and he awkwardly lowered it into her waiting arms, the sudden weight nearly pulling her over.

“Y'alright?” he asked sheepishly.

“I am fine!” she insisted through gritted teeth, despite the ache already starting to set in her arms. This thing clearly wasn’t meant for a single person; she was only meant to carry it the short distance to the bridge. Taking it the whole way down to the hangars would be a challenge.

Of course, Sector V had a whole team, and could carry the great device between two people. But she was determined to do this alone, no matter how unwieldy it was. So she staggered away as fast as she could, leaving the scientists to their work.

The walk from the labs to the hangars was agonisingly slow, and every time she heard footsteps behind her Fanny found herself checking over her shoulder for Rachel or Sector V. But nobody followed her, and soon she was standing in the entranceway of the Moonbase's primary hangar, her arms cramping up under the weight.

The place was deserted, both of personnel and of aircraft, except for Sector V’s S.C.A.M.P.E.R. She made a beeline for the ship, slipping up the ramp and into the hull. Safe, she finally set the prototype weapon down on the floor.

She slammed the button to close the door. It sealed with a hiss and she and shifted into the pilot's seat, ready to depart. This was her last chance to back out, she realised; her last chance to turn around and go back to her duties. But she was determined to see her plan through, so with her teeth set and her body tense she hit the engine start. The S.C.A.M.P.E.R roared to life.

* * *

The sound of multiple approaching footsteps made the 2x4 scientists look up. All eyes turned to the lab doors, confusion filling the room as they swung open and the Supreme Leader herself stepped through, joined by the operatives of Sector V. Rachel’s face was set with concern, and she briskly approached one of the scientists.

“Did Numbuh 86 come through here?” she asked.

“Yes, uh, ma'am,” the scientist replied. “We, uh, we gave her the prototype. What's up?”

“She's disappeared,” she replied gravely, “And if that's true then she has the module.”


	2. Where Kids Fear To Tread

The Delightful Mansion From Down The Lane drifted slowly into view of the grimy windshield, rising over the horizon as Fanny flew on through the night. The multiple spires and ornate windows were dark under a sky heavy with dark clouds, no lights visible anywhere. And, looking down, Fanny could see the massive gravel drive was empty, no car in sight; she could only hope that meant Father was out.

Alone in the S.C.A.M.P.E.R with only her thoughts, she couldn’t help thinking over her plan. A small voice in her mind was convinced she was already in over her head, that she wouldn’t be able to face the Delightful Children on her own, but she did her best to ignore it. She hadn’t been appointed Global Tactical Officer for nothing; she was sure she could handle whatever they threw at her.

She eased back on the throttle as the mansion drew near, the S.C.A.M.P.E.R decelerating rapidly. There were no lights on the vessel, save for the glow of the engines, so she didn’t worry about being seen as she flew into the gardens. The grass blew over with the force of the thrusters, radiating away from the aircraft as she brought it in to hover above the earth.

She lowered the vehicle until the front landing gear hit the grass with a clunk, resting on the damp earth. She cracked a slight smile at the thought she had just ruined a patch of Father’s pristine lawn; it served him right. Finally, she killed the engines, and the vessel dropped to the floor.

Which was a significant slope; the S.C.A.M.P.E.R lurched back, the rear end falling. It landed forcefully on the soil, the jolt knocking the girl from her seat. She landed hard on the floor, pain shooting through her head as her colander helmet clanged against the ground. She hissed, rubbing at the point of impact, and slowly stumbled back to her feet.

A quick check showed her stolen prototype weapon was still intact, save for a few scrapes to the casing, so she hefted it up and stumbled over to the door. She hit the button and it opened with a hiss, revealing the darkened gardens of the mansion beyond. In the evening air she could suddenly smell damp grass.

She clomped down the S.C.A.M.P.E.R’s ramp and out into the night. Her boots squelched in the muddy grass, slick with recent rainwater, as she headed up the slope towards the mansion. It loomed over her, dark and imposing, but she soldiered on up to the patio that surrounded it. She was determined to see this through.

As she approached, it hit her that the place would definitely be locked up tight. She didn't want to risk tripping an alarm by smashing a window; she had already seen what this place’s defences were like during the siege over the C.O.D.E M.O.D.U.L.E. She'd just have to find another way in, like a vent or air duct, she reasoned.

She looked around quickly; her gaze settled on a large grate a little way down the patio, right up against the wall. She hurried over, hauling the weapon prototype with her. She inspected it as she approached; it looked large enough to fit through and didn’t seem to be held down by anything besides its own weight: perfect.

She set her weapon down once more, bending down and gripping the cast iron. It was heavy, but not so much that she couldn’t shift it. There was a creak as she lifted it up, grunting with exertion, and a small amount of concrete dust fell away as she pulled it free.

She dropped the grate to one side, barely avoiding trapping her fingers. The old iron hit the patio with a clatter, cracking two tiles. She looked back to the now-open hole, peering down; she could just make out a narrow stone corridor in the darkness below.

There was only one thing for it. Fanny picked up the prototype once more and eased herself into the gap, holding it tight and dropping quickly to the floor below. Of course, the weight falling with her dragged her off her feet on impact, despite her best efforts, but at least she had made it down.

As she stood up again, she looked around, her eyes slowly adjusting to the darkness. The hairs on the back of her neck stood on end as she recognised iron bars on the walls, half a dozen cells standing either side of her; she had landed right in the middle of Father’s dungeon, she realised. And that meant the delightfulisation room had to be somewhere nearby.

She set off briskly down the hallway, her shoulders aching under the weight of the weapon. It couldn't be that far, could it? The corridor twisted and turned, the air cold and the walls damp, but finally she rounded a corner to see a thickly armoured door down at the hallway's far end.

Fanny stepped up to the door. It was unlocked; pushing it open revealed an expansive room full of electrical equipment. In the centre numerous pipes and cables converged on a cylindrical steel chamber, with only a ring of narrow windows around the top. She knew in an instant she had found her target; the delightfulisation chamber, a device spoken about only in fearful whispers and high-secrecy reports in the KND.

She huffed with exertion, lugging the heavy weapon over to the chamber, her curiosity spiking. A particularly thick wire was plugged into a bulky metal box on the back of the device; presumably, that was where the power came from. She just had to unplug that and connect it to the prototype.

She placed the weapon on the ground, fumbling with the connectors for a moment as she tried to find the right one. As she did, she looked the device up and down again. She couldn’t help wondering just what exactly was this thing supposed to do; what would be so devastating to the Delightful Children?

But as she looked it over, it hit her; she recognised some of the prototype’s components. Fanny was hardly the most tech-savvy member of the KND, but she was skilled in the maintenance of one thing in particular: decommissioning modules. She could take apart and put back together those things in her sleep, and that had helped her greatly when repairing their opposite, the recommissioning module.

This device appeared to be based on that; the long brass barrel was the same; so was the wood construction; the chain drive seemed to have replaced the old module’s manual crank handle. Maybe this thing even played the same little tune as its predecessor.

But as soon as that realisation hit her, so did more questions; why would Rachel want to fire a recommissioning module at the Delightful Children? And why did it need so much power? These things _undid_ brainwashing, so it wasn't about to make allies out of Father's children.

But Fanny knew that this was important to Rachel, even if she didn’t understand it. So, she pulled the power cord free from the delightfulisation chamber and plugged it into the module. Now all she had to do was get the brats in range, and her mission would be done. Except they were upstairs, she realised, probably asleep, and weren't about to come down any time soon on their own.

Sector V had the personnel to create a distraction, a lure to trick them into coming down; no doubt Nigel Uno would have some great plan waiting for this exact situation. But Fanny didn't care about what his solution was. She had to come up with her own, as fast as she could, and execute it before either they or Father showed up.

She tiptoed as fast as she dared back into the corridor, leaving the module behind. At the other end of the twisting hallway she found an old staircase, which she quickly climbed. Above a sliding wooden panel opened into a massive atrium, as dark and cold as the dungeons, with marble floors and a hideously opulent staircase.

Fanny headed slowly upstairs; the mansion was a labyrinth, with corridors and massive rooms stretching out in all directions, but she reasoned the bedrooms would probably be on the upper floors. She kept as best she could to the shadows, following the largest hallways and staircases, her heart pounding louder with each passing minute.

She finally found the Delightful Children on the top floor; one giant bedroom took up most of the floor, decorated as richly as the rest of the house. Peering in from the landing door, she could see five beds sat next to each other along one wall, each one containing a different Delightful Child, all fast asleep in fancy nightclothes. It was the first time Fanny had ever seen them apart, she realised, outside of the time one, Lenny if she remembered right, had pretended to defect to the KND.

All she had to do now was get them downstairs. She looked around frantically for a second before her gaze settled on her own boots; her footprints marred the thick carpets with grime from the dungeon and mud from the lawn; they could follow that, surely. Waking them up couldn't be too hard either; she didn't need Sector V.

Her heart thumped heavily in her chest and she held her breath as she reached up and knocked loudly on the door. The Delightful Children sat bolt upright in unison, eyes snapping open; she darted out of sight, pressing up against the other side of the door frame.

“What was that?” they demanded in unison, their bizarre synchronisation making Fanny shiver. “Father, is that you? Are you home already?” There was silence; she held her breath. “That had better not be the Kids Next Door in our home.” There was a threatening edge to their words, one which made the hairs on the back of Fanny’s neck stand on-end; she didn’t want to know what they’d do if they caught her unarmed.

She didn't wait much longer. As soon as she heard the quiet thud of five pairs of feet hitting the thick carpet, she bolted down the stairs. She no longer cared about stealth; all that mattered was getting the Delightful Children into the delightfulisation room.

“You can't run away from us,” their voices echoed behind her in unison, a chorus that set her heart racing. “We can see your footprints.”

Fanny nearly smiled, despite herself; her plan was working. But she didn’t dare look back. She barrelled on, all the way down into the main hall, through the secret door, into the dungeons, and onwards, not stopping until she reached the chamber once more. She slipped behind the chamber itself, lifting up the new recommissioning module and shouldering it in anticipation.

“What are you doing in the delightfulisation room?” five voices demanded, low and menacing. They were just outside, their footsteps echoing in perfect unison. Fanny steeled herself, feeling a fresh wave of confidence now that she had the upper hand.

“Oh, nothin',” she gave a cocky grin, moving out from behind the chamber itself and levelling the module directly at the Delightful Children. They didn’t seem fazed.

“Well, if it isn't the Global Tactical Officer of the Kids Next Door.” There was a hint of surprise in their voices. They tilted their heads slightly to one side, sneers fixed on their faces, standing in the doorway. This was the closest Fanny had ever seen them, she suddenly realised. “That's a shame; we were hoping for a real challenge.”

“Sorry t'disappoint ya!” She placed them square in her sights. Her finger hesitated on the trigger; this was the moment of truth, her chance to do whatever Rachel wanted and prove herself once and for all. But something made her hesitate, her body locking up with surprise.

She _knew_ the blonde girl who clung to the side of the group from somewhere else, she was suddenly sure. That face was burned into her psyche for some reason, that blonde hair and those familiar features. She wanted to kick herself for not noticing before. But what was she remembering…?

Suddenly it hit her; the blonde girl had an uncanny resemblance to _Rachel_. Her hair was longer, a darker shade of blonde, and her nose was rounder and sat higher on her face, but otherwise she was almost a mirror image of the person Fanny cared about the most. And with that, everything fell into place at once.

Rachel didn’t like to talk about her past. She kept quiet about why she lived permanently on Moonbase, with no family to go back to; why she’d grown up faster than even the most hardened of her fellow operatives, the perfect candidate for Supreme Leader; why her brother hated being touched so much. But Fanny knew that she’d had an older sister, one assigned to the infamous lost Sector Z.

Because Fanny had been there on that awful day, three years ago, when Sector Z had gone missing. She could remember how Rachel had broken down; in the end, when Chad and everyone else had tried and failed to comfort her, Fanny had just hugged her friend and let her cry. She had wished then that she could do something more, and now she knew she could.

“Oh,” the children giggled, noticing the realisation paralysing her. They didn’t move another step; it was like they were rooted to the spot, almost as if they wanted her to open fire. “Did someone finally figure it out?”

“Aye,” Fanny gripped the trigger, determination swelling, “and yer due fer recommissionin'!”

She pulled the trigger on the recommissioning module. There was a crackle of electricity and green light started to flicker through the gaps in the weapon's casing. The chain drive on the side spun up with a rattle, and a rapid little music-box tune started to play. The power gauge rose, the needle quivering, as energy surged through the device.

It passed ninety and one hundred, rising up to eleventy billion. This triggered something in the module; there was a clunk and a stream of bright purple light shot out from the brass barrel. It latched onto the Delightful Children, enveloping them in a glowing aura that seemed to freeze them in place. They slowly rose above the floor, erupting into a myriad of screams as the glow got brighter and brighter.

Fanny kept the trigger depressed, her knuckle turning white, as the Delightful Children started to squirm. The power continued to increase, the energy being pumped directly into them, until all Fanny could see was their shadows surrounded by glow. The tune reached a fever pitch; one of the module’s bulbs cracked, electricity sparking.

The last thing Fanny saw was the needle hit fifteenty-billion units before the glow exploded into a wave of greenish-white energy and she was knocked clean off her feet.


	3. Darkest Hour

The sight of a deserted S.C.A.M.P.E.R on the lawn of the Delightful Mansion From Down The Lane was not exactly a comfort to the members of Sector V or Numbuh 362. Their own aircraft, a S.U.R.B.U.R.B.A.N dropship normally reserved for Moonbase personnel, slowed to a crawl as they approached. Rachel peered out through the aircraft’s windows, into the rainy night, but there was no sign of Fanny anywhere.

“Numbuh 2, take us in,” she ordered, getting an affirmative hum in reply. The floor shuddered under her feet, and she felt her stomach rise as the craft descended.

“What could make Numbuh 86 go rogue like this?” Hoagie wondered out loud, not looking up from the controls.

For a moment Rachel hesitated, not sure what to say. Fanny had always been the most loyal operative she’d ever known; that was why she’d been trusted with the position of Head of Decommissioning. The idea that she might one day betray the KND had never even occurred to Rachel, and that worried her.

The fate of the mission worried her too; this might have been her only chance to save Sector Z from what Father had done to them, to bring her sister back. And now all of that was up in the air because of Fanny. She gritted her teeth, keeping her gaze out of the window.

“I don’t know,” she admitted, trying not to let her uncertainty show. “She’s the most dedicated officer I know; something must've really tipped her over the edge.”

“Emotion can be a powerful thing,” Abigail observed. She gave Rachel a sideways glance, her expression unreadable.

“Yeah, well the only emotion she can feel is hatred for boys!” Wally declared.

“Numbuh 5 ain't denying that the two things ain't related,” Abby replied cryptically.

“Is she… trying to show us up?” Nigel offered, scratching his bald head; he looked over at her, but she just shrugged.

“All this speculation is getting us nowhere,” Rachel interrupted; she regretted encouraging this conversation. “We can talk more about motives once we've located Numbuh 86.”

“Affirmative, sir,” Nigel nodded briskly.

The dropship touched down next to the S.C.A.M.P.E.R; getting closer, Rachel could see the thing hadn’t come down cleanly. It was lying on the slope up from the gardens to the mansion patio, tilted at an awkward angle, the grass around it blackened by the heat from its thrusters. Hoagie put the S.U.B.U.R.B.A.N down beside it, and with a hiss the doors opened.

“Sector V, move out,” Nigel ordered, stepping out onto the lawn. The others followed, weapons at the ready. “Any signs of eighty-six?”

“Nothing I can see,” Hoagie replied, just as a light drizzle began to fall. There were murmurs of agreement from the rest of the group.

“Then we'll have to enter the building,” Rachel noted, feeling the hairs on the back of her neck stand on-end. She tried not to think about the last time she had been here, how badly that operation had gone, and what terrifying weapons Father might have had hidden inside this time.

They slowly approached the mansion’s front door, under the shadow of a large portico. The quiet in the air was unnerving, but Rachel kept her worries to herself.

“Check if it's locked,” she ordered.

Abigail nodded and approached the massive wooden doors, cautiously reaching for the handle on one. There was a faint click as she turned it, but the door refused to budge an inch.

“We ain’t gettin’ in that way,” she noted. Hoagie stepped forwards, rummaging in his pockets for a moment.

“Relax guys,” he said with a smile, “I've got this.” He pulled out a small wooden box, cradling it carefully in one hand, with a tiny switch on one side and a rough slot cut in the other.

He flicked the switch as he walked up towards the doorway. There was a series of faint clicks and twangs, and a pair of tiny metal rods shot out of the side of the device, jutting through the slot. Carefully he held it out, placing the device against the door so that the two prongs were seated within the lock, then stepped back.

The little box clicked and sparked a few times, before it finally went silent. “Wait for it,” he said, excitement rising in his voice.

The little machine stayed motionless for a second. Then the side of the box sprung off, leaving a mess of tiny, repurposed components dangling from the thing’s insides.

“Aww c'mon!” he complained. “I spent weeks building that!” He went to remove it, pushing against the door in the process. But when he touched it the door swung back with a creak, revealing a vast hallway beyond. “Hey! It worked!”

“Numbuh 4, Numbuh 5,” Nigel demanded. “You’re up.”

The pair each drew a M.U.S.K.E.T as they stepped through the door, their gazes scanning the atrium for traps or guards. Nothing moved in the darkness; all the pair could see was a trail of muddy footprints, leading up the main staircase and back down to an open panel in the far wall.

“Looks clear,” Abby declared, sheathing her weapon and striding forwards. “You guys can move up now.”

“Good work,” Nigel noted. He stepped inside, the others following behind him. He came to a halt by the footprints, looking them up and down. “I think we know where Numbuh 86 went.”

Rachel came to a halt beside him, nodding in agreement. “It looks like she went upstairs, then came back down?” She looked over, her gaze settling on the open panel in the wall; according to the plans, that should have led down to the dungeons; had Fanny gotten that far?

“Numbuh 5, I want you to lead us in there,” she ordered, her resolve growing.

“You got it.” Abigail nodded, redrawing her M.U.S.K.E.T and moving cautiously up to the doorway. She peered inside, gesturing to the others to follow, and set off slowly down into the darkness.

The doorway led to a narrow stone staircase, the walls dripping and the air cold. The footsteps ran all the way down and back up, the steps smeared with mud, and the kids followed them on until finally they emerged into a long corridor flanked by prison cells. It was quiet as they stepped in, with only the distant patter of the rain for company, but then the sound of voices echoed from somewhere further ahead.

“Come on!” Rachel ordered, hurrying forwards without waiting for the others. As she moved through the winding hall, she could make out more and more of what was being said, five voices echoing in menacing unison and then one more retorting. Both Fanny and the Delightful Children were just ahead, she was sure.

Suddenly the voices stopped, replaced by the crackle of electricity and the jingling of a music box. And as she rounded a final corner, everything came into view at once. The Delightful Children were enveloped in a glowing yellow light, writhing and yelling in discordant harmony. And behind them, framed in the glow, standing in the doorway to the delightfulisation room, her face set and the new recommissioning module held firmly in her hands, was Fanny.

Before she could say anything there was a flash of white light, exploding out from the Delightful Children. A wave of energy forced Rachel back, kicking up dust and dirt around her. Behind her she was dimly aware of the rest of Sector V getting hit with the same force. For a moment everything was too bright, swallowed by the glare.

When the lights faded, everything was a mess. The Delightful Children were scattered across the floor, groaning, no longer dressed in their regular, immaculate attire. Instead, they were clad in the kind of gear normally expected of elite KND operatives, all dark green and brown and red. One by one they stumbled to their feet, rubbing bruises sustained in the blast.

“I knew it!” Fanny declared suddenly, not noticing Sector V amid her excitement. “You lot are the missing Sector Z!”

“You only worked that out right before you recommissioned us,” one of them, a tall girl with blonde hair, observed, dusting herself down. “But thank you, on behalf of all of us.”

Watching on, Rachel felt her heart skip a beat. Because, unmistakeably, that was her sister Ashley; the girl who had disappeared under mysterious circumstances with her entire sector, who Rachel had been secretly sure she had lost forever, was right there. Part of her hadn’t even wanted to believe Nigel when he had told her about the fate of Sector Z, knowing that her sister was still alive and yet forever out of her reach, but now that had all changed.

“What's the situation?!” Sector Z’s leader, Bruce, demanded suddenly, pulling her out of her thoughts. He cracked his knuckles.

“Oh, there’s no situation,” Fanny shrugged, setting down the module in her arms, “Numbuh 362 just wanted ya back.” He frowned.

“Doesn’t she realise our state is permanent?!” he snapped. “You can't just undo it; we’re doomed to turn back into those delightful dorks sooner or later.”

“When we got delightfulised,” another of the sector, David, added, “we were hit with eleventy-billion times the normal power.”

“An' I jus' hit ya with _fifteenty_.” Fanny grinned proudly, gesturing down to the massive recommissioning module at her feet. “If that don't purge the delightful from your system then I dunno what will.”

“We're… back, forever?” Lenny asked quietly. He stepped up next to the last member of Sector Z, Constance, and she reached out. Their hands intertwined, a reassuring look passing between them.

“Uh, yeah,” Fanny said as if it were obvious. The pair smiled warmly.

“Alright!” Bruce cheered, punching the air with a fist. David and Ashley nodded in agreement.

“Now,” Fanny began, hands proudly on her hips, “we've jus' gotta get ya back to Moonbase. I know Numbuh 362 will be itchin’ to see ya back.” She grinned eagerly.

Rachel felt something snap at that; did Fanny expect her to be proud? Did she think Rachel would appreciate her jeopardising an operation so important to her? What was she thinking; what justification could she possibly have for something like this?

She buried the worst of her feelings, slipping into the familiar mask of the Supreme Leader, and stepped forwards into the light.

“That won’t be necessary, Numbuh 86.”

The Sector Z operatives turned, eyes going wide as they saw her and Sector V standing by. Behind them Fanny jumped, momentarily surprised, before a smug grin settled back on her face. But before Rachel could confront her, another voice broke the silence.

“Rachel?” Ashley's face lit up. And in an instant Rachel forgot herself; she ran, crossing the dirty floor and throwing her arms tight around her sister’s midsection.

For a moment it didn’t matter that Fanny had disobeyed her, or that everyone was watching, or that they were still deep inside Father’s dungeon. What mattered was that her older sister was here, for good, and her family was back together. She felt Ashley’s arms close around her, pulling her against the dark wool of her sweater.

“Ashley,” she managed to say quietly, voice breaking with relief, “I thought I’d lost you.” She felt her sister’s sweater grow damp, realising she was crying as her carefully built walls cracked.

“I thought I’d lost myself too,” Ashley admitted, running one hand reassuringly through her sister’s hair. “We all did. But we’re back now, and that’s what matters.”

Slowly Rachel pulled away, wiping away her tears as relief swelled inside her. She looked up, taking in the familiar shape of the older girl, a small smile on her face.

“You haven’t changed at all,” she realised, letting out a quiet breath. “It’s like, you look the same as you did when you left, like the last three years just… never happened.” Ashley smiled.

“Nope.” She shook her head.

“We haven’t aged a day in those three years,” David cut in, frowning. “That machine,” he gestured over his shoulder, past Fanny, to the chamber looming in the room behind her, “was meant to make us into his delightful _children_ ; that meant no growing up for us.”

“But someone here has,” Ashley noted. She reached down, ruffling her younger sister’s hair underneath the brim of her helmet. “Right, Supreme Leader Numbuh 362, sir?” There was pride in her voice.

“You know about that?” Rachel blinked, not quite sure she believed what she was hearing. Ashley nodded.

“Recommissioning doesn’t get rid of memories,” Bruce explained, drawing her attention away. “Those delightful deviants knew who they used to be; they just didn’t care.”

“We still remember everything they did,” Lenny added. “Well, most of it; some things are fuzzier than they used to be, but those three years are still in there.” He rapped on his helmet with his free hand.

“Wait!” Kuki suddenly interrupted. All eyes turned to her, standing at the front of Sector V. “If you’re the Lost Sector, and you’re three years older than you look, does that mean you’re too old for the Kids Next Door?”

Rachel shook her head; she had just gotten her sister back, and she wasn’t about to lose her again. If they were still kids then they were still in the organisation, regardless of why, she decided. And besides, she wasn’t about to let Numbuh 86 decommission anyone else for quite some time after this affair.

She pulled away from her sister again, feeling her frustration rise up again at the thought. She still had to deal with the biggest and worst case of insubordination she had seen in a long time, one that could very well have cost her half of her remaining family. She turned, walking across the grimy hallway to where Fanny stood, embers of her anger stoked.

Fanny was still smiling proudly, her hands on her hips, but her confidence wavered as she saw her Supreme Leader’s gaze harden. She swallowed.

“Numbuh 86,” Rachel forced herself to be calm, “You’ve just disobeyed my orders, stolen a valuable 2x4 prototype, hijacked a Kids Next Door vehicle from another Sector, and jeopardised a triple-importanic mission. Why?”

Fanny tensed under her gaze. For a moment she didn’t reply, the smile wiped clean off her face. In its place rose shock, confusion, and disappointment, and for a moment the redhead seemed paralysed on the spot as Rachel bore down on her.

“I asked you to explain yourself!” Rachel waved a hand furiously in front of Fanny's face. That snapped her out of it; Fanny’s expression twisted with sudden fury, her face turning as red as her hair.

“Explain myself?!” she roared. “That’s all I get? I came all the way down here, saved yer sister and the entire lost Sector, all by myself, and all ya have to say to me is ‘explain yerself’?!”

“What?” Rachel scowled, her façade cracking. “You thought I _wanted_ this? In what world would I want you to risk everything like that?! I asked for Sector V, specifically, and for good reason; what would you have done if Father was here?”

She could tell Fanny didn’t have an answer for that. The other girl silently fumed for a tense moment, fists clenched, and teeth gritted; nobody else in the room dared speak. Slowly her gaze turned down, something dark glinting in her eyes.

“Oh, I see how it is,” she said finally, pain creeping into her voice under the anger. She jabbed a finger at Nigel, still standing off to one side. “When he goes against ya and saves the day, it’s ‘oh, thank ya Nigel’ or ‘oh, well done to Sector V’, but when I do it I’m in the wrong?! And you say ya don’t play favourites.”

“Don't drag Nigel into this!” Rachel retaliated; the accusation cut deep. She took a step forward. “Is that what this is about then: petty jealousy? You went out of your way to disobey my direct orders just because you wanted to outdo Sector V?!” Fanny took a half-step back, more pain twisting her expression.

“I thought you were better than that, Fanny,” Rachel couldn’t help continuing. “I made you Global Tactical Officer because I thought you could be trusted; when you don’t let your stupid, irrational prejudices get in the way you’re normally good at sticking to the plan!”

“And look where that got me!” Fanny lashed out; Rachel could hear the lump in her throat. “Nothin’ I do gets recognition, no matter how hard I try! I've worked my rear off up in Global Command and I don't even get so much as a thank ya; I only got promoted when Numbuh 1 didn’t want ta be! I don't care 'bout yer excuses; it just ain't fair!”

She stamped a foot, her breaths coming loud and deep. Rachel was suddenly aware of all the eyes on her; she took a moment to compose herself, not wanting to suffer the damage to her image another outburst would cause. As Supreme Leader, she had to keep a level head and this screaming match wasn’t helping anyone.

“That's enough,” she said firmly, leaving no room for argument. “You're coming back to Moonbase, right now, to face repercussions. You're lucky; I should be lining you up for decommissioning right now, but instead I intend to have you stripped of your rank an-”

“Don't bother,” Fanny cut in; she sneered, but tears were forming in her eyes. In one move she ripped the helmet from her head and threw it hard across the room, letting her frizzed red hair hang free. “I'm done sucking up to yer rear end fer no reward! I am outta here!”

She was moving before anyone could stop her, tears starting to run down her face as she made a beeline for the exit. Rachel held up a hand to stop her, but she was already gone, emotions pouring forth, thundering down the corridor and on towards the staircase. The assembled operatives watched in awkward silence, not sure what to say.

“Well, that could've gone better,” Wally finally observed, only to be immediately rounded on by the assembled operatives. “Hey! I was only saying.”

"Did Numbuh 86 just… quit?” Ashley asked helplessly. Rachel wasn’t sure what to say to that; all she could think of was the last look on Fanny’s face, when hurt had swallowed her rage, tears starting to fall. This was her fault, she realised, looking down.

“Numbuh 5’s sure she don’t mean it,” Abigail said quietly. “I’m willin’ to bet she was jus’ caught up in the moment; I’m sure she’ll come around.”

“She's still a rogue operative, at least for now,” Rachel sighed, shaking her head, an uncomfortable thought rising in her mind. “We'll have to track her down.”

“Allow us, sir,” Nigel offered, his voice full of confidence. He stepped forwards. “We’ll have Numbuh 86 back in no time.” Rachel shook her head; she knew he wanted to help, but it would only make things worse.

“Sorry, soldier,” she said, her voice quiet but firm. “As stupid as it is, Fanny’s really mad at your sector right now; It'll be much easier to get her to come quietly if I and Sector Z go.” He nodded. “I want your sector to transport the recommissioning module back up to Moonbase. Take your S.C.A.M.P.E.R; Sector Z and I will launch a search mission using the other dropship.”

"Yes, sir." Bruce nodded in confirmation. "Sector Z, on me."

"I understand," Nigel said quietly. There was earnestness in his tone, mixed with a hint of disappointment. “Good luck, sir.”

* * *

Fanny ran. She didn’t stop, she couldn’t, even as she passed through the mansion’s gaping doorway and out into the rainy night. She kept going, despite how her lungs burned and her limbs screamed for rest, desperate to put more distance between herself and everything that had just happened.

Her head was full of painful spiralling thoughts, her own feelings tumbling over each other. All she could think about was the same thing, echoing over and over in her head; she had just lost everything she cared about: her rank, her codenumbuh, her allies, Rachel…

It was all gone. Part of her just wanted to curl up into a little ball and cry, but the rest of her still demanded she go on. Overhead the rain only grew worse, distant thunder rolling over the hills, and her sweater clung to her body, heavy with cold water.

She passed out through the mansion gates and on; beyond the garden wall was open parkland. Mud squelched under her feet, trees and branches leering at her from the shadows. She had no idea where she was and no idea where she was going. For a brief moment a light flashed past, from somewhere above, but she was too deep in her own emotions to notice.

The driving rain and near-midnight darkness worked in tandem with the tears running down her face, obscuring much of her vision. Finally she surrendered to her aching limbs, slowing to a crawl amid the trees. She took one unsteady step, gasping for air, hands on her knees, then another.

Her foot missed the flat ground, landing in the slick mud at the top of a verge. Before she could react her leg went out from under her, her balance gone, and suddenly she was sliding sideways down the soggy earth. She reached out in vain, trying to grab onto something, but her hands only found watery mud and empty air.

The back of her head collided with something hard, sending a sharp spike of pain through her skull. She had finally stopped, but darkness closed in around the edges of her vision as her head throbbed. She tried to get up, desperate to keep going, but her limbs refused to respond. She could only lie back, tears still flowing, and let the painful darkness consume her consciousness.


	4. The Luck Of The Irish

The S.U.B.U.R.B.A.N dropship touched down with a final flare of its thrusters, rustling the surrounding trees. The doors opened with a hiss, cold air and rain swirling into the interior. Rachel was first out, grimacing in the rain. Ashley was right behind her, and then the rest of Sector Z followed her out into the night.

It had only been a few moments since a flash of orange-red and dark green had darted through their searchlight, headed for the forest, which meant Fanny couldn’t have gone far. But the trees were too dense to make searching from above viable beyond this point, so they’d had to put down.

“Any sign of her?” Rachel called out, holding a flashlight in her hand. The whole of Sector Z had them, scouring the ground for tracks and the trees for movement. None of them replied beyond shaken heads.

Rachel felt herself growing more and more worried by the minute. Fanny was all alone out here in the worsening weather, with no weapon, no backup, and no way to navigate. Rachel knew her friend could hold her own in a fight, but in those conditions, she didn’t like the odds.

“Over here!” Lenny called out suddenly; he was standing with Constance up near the treeline, their flashlights aimed at the ground. As Rachel approached, she could see what they’d found; within the glow of the lights were deep boot prints in the soggy earth. They lead away into the trees.

“Those are Fanny’s, alright,” Rachel said firmly. “We’ll have to go in after her; Numbuhs 0.4 and 0.5, can you take point?”

“You've got it,” Lenny said quickly, taking Constance by the hand. The two of them set off briskly into the trees, keeping their flashlights on the tracks. Rachel and Ashley came next, followed by David and Bruce bringing up the rear.

As they walked, Rachel couldn’t help her thoughts wandering. Because the more she thought about it, the more she could see that Fanny had a point. It wasn’t fair to bring Sector V into it; their role in the Kids Next Door was different, and they’d earned every reward she gave them, but Rachel could see now that she had made her appreciation of them a lot more obvious than she had of her second-in-command.

She did genuinely consider Fanny a friend; how could she not? The other girl was her most dependable operative, and had always been there for her, even when she’d lost Ashley all those years ago. And now, that might all have been thrown away because she’d gotten so used to Fanny being behind her that she hadn’t even considered her friend’s feelings.

There was a deeper truth there too; if Rachel was really honest with herself, she hadn’t been as open with Fanny since she’d become Supreme Leader. And while part of that was just the pressures of the job, leaving her with less time than ever for personal conversations, there was something else under all of that: a feeling she had been trying hard to ignore.

The tracks continued into the darkness, seeming to stretch on forever. Fanny had to have stopped eventually, right? She couldn't still be running, lost and alone, amid the trees.

The thought sent a chill down Rachel's spine; her friend could have been in mortal danger right now, all because Rachel hadn’t noticed how upset she really was. She kept her head down, burying her worries, and continued to walk, not wanting to seem weak in front of the newly reinstated Sector.

“It's not your fault.” Ashley noticed her distress, putting one hand reassuringly on her shoulder. “And don't worry; we'll find her.” Rachel wished she could believe either of those statements. She nodded quietly, murmuring.

The footsteps ran on into the undergrowth; ahead Lenny and Constance came to a halt, peering down at the ground. Rachel hurried to catch up, only for Lenny to reach out and grab her by the sweater.

“Hey!” she retorted, forgetting herself. Lenny frowned.

“Sorry, sir,” he said quickly, “but look.” He gestured ahead, and Rachel understood. The pair had come to a stop at the top of a steep muddy verge, right where the footsteps ended; one more step and Rachel would have gone tumbling down into the darkness.

Had that been what had happened to Fanny? Rachel fumbled with her flashlight for a moment, even as the rest of the sector caught up, shining the beam down to the bottom of the ridge. For a moment all she illuminated was more trees, before a flash of red sliced through the darkness. Rachel homed in on it, only to feel her blood run cold at what she saw.

It was Fanny, lying limply on her back at the bottom of the hill, mud splattered across her clothing and face. Her jumper and skirt were torn by brambles, and her red hair was tangled with a few scraps of branch. Blood was trickling from the back of her head, resting against the trunk of a tree, decorating the mud with red splotches. Her eyes were closed, her chest barely shifting with weak breaths; she wasn't moving.

“Oh no.” Rachel could feel panic start to set in. She tried to move down the ridge, shuffling as carefully as her shuddering legs would allow, trying to get closer. All she could think was this was _her_ fault, regardless of what Ashley said, and she had to fix it. Her friend was seriously hurt, all because of her.

Sector Z followed her down, picking their way down the treacherous slope. They all gathered around Fanny, worry and concern rippling through them, and Rachel felt her heart pounding her chest as she knelt down at her unconscious friend’s side. She wanted to do something, anything, but medical had never been her area of expertise.

“She's still breathing, at least,” David said quickly; she she looked up to see him standing behind her, his face grim. “Looks like a concussion and a gash to the head, probably.”

“How can you be sure?” she demanded.

“I'm medical officer,” he shrugged, leaning down beside her, “It's my job. She should be fine, but we need to get her back to the ship.” Carefully he looped his arms under Fanny’s, ready to lift her up. “Lenny, come give me a hand.”

The other boy nodded and knelt down at Fanny’s feet, and together he and David gently hefted her up. Rachel could only watch as they carried her back towards the ridge, following quietly.

"Don't worry, sir,” David said firmly, glancing back. “It’s worse than it looks.”

They walked back to the ship in stony silence. Rachel kept her gaze on Fanny the entire way, walking beside David and Lenny as Bruce led them all out of the forest. By the time they finally reached safety she was exhausted, her clothes soaked and freezing, but she made no attempt to get herself cleaned up. She just perched on one of the dropship’s old seats, watching as David set to work bandaging Fanny, lying across two more; she wanted to be there when her friend woke up.

* * *

Fanny stirred, her eyes slowly opening. Dull pain throbbed in her head, and for a moment everything was blurry. As the world around her came into view she could tell she wasn’t in the forest anymore; she was staring straight up at a metal roof, lit by flickering halogen lights; it reminded her more of a train car than a hospital…

A S.U.B.U.R.B.A.N dropship, her mind suddenly supplied. Now that she was awake she could feel the uncomfortable seats she was lying across, and see the outlines of windows at the edges of her vision. That confirmed it; she'd been found by the Kids Next Door.

She was probably due for decommissioning after that little stunt, she thought dryly; Rachel had been at the end of her tether even before she’d run away. Slowly she looked around, fully expecting to see half a dozen of her own Decom Squad operatives aiming at her, ready in case she woke up belligerent.

Instead, her gaze settled on Rachel, sitting on the seat next to the one her head rested on. She was perched on the edge of it, her helmet off and her orange sweater clinging damply to her body, a faraway look in her dark brown eyes.

Fanny blinked in surprise; this was all wrong. She was a deserter at best and a traitor at worst; why wasn’t she restrained, or under armed guard? Why was the Supreme Leader herself just sitting there, next to her, without any means of stopping her if she tried to escape?

She sat up slowly; her head throbbed at the movement, and she couldn’t help groaning as she wobbled up. Spots fizzled in her eyes, the whole dropship’s interior disappearing for a moment behind colourful static. Maybe that was why she wasn’t under any kind of guard, she suddenly thought; the KND knew she was in no state to try anything.

“Fanny?” Rachel’s voice pulled her back from her thoughts. The other girl was no longer staring into space; instead, she met Fanny’s gaze, concern that Fanny was sure she didn’t deserve swirling in her eyes. “How are you feeling?”

“Fine,” Fanny lied, looking away. Something cold settled in her gut, a fresh lump settling in her throat. She could see now how short-sighted she had been, how selfish; she hated seeing Rachel hurt like that, and she knew it was all her fault.

“Supreme Leader Numbuh 362, sir,” she began gingerly, trying and failing to hide her emotions under a veneer of formality. “I’m… sorry.” She let out a sigh. “I shouldn’t’a gone against yer orders like that; I let my own stupid jealousy get the best of me.”

“I’m sorry too,” Rachel replied quietly. Fanny looked up slowly, feeling a pang of guilt.

“It ain’t yer fault,” she said quickly. Rachel shook her head.

“As Supreme Leader, I have to look out for every other kid in this organisation,” she explained, guilt of her own creeping into her voice, “and as a friend, Fanny, I should have noticed something was bothering you. You’ve always been there for me, and I couldn’t be Supreme Leader without you helping me, so I’m sorry I made you feel like I didn’t care.”

“I shoulda said something!” Fanny shot back, something snapping inside at the sight of Rachel so torn up. “I shouldn’t’a let it get this bad and I shoulda handled it better. Yer Supreme Leader of the whole Kids Next Door; it ain’t yer fault if ya had more important things to deal with.” She meant it earnestly. Rachel’s face fell; she reached out, one hand coming to rest gently on Fanny’s shoulder.

“Not more important than you,” she said firmly. Fanny couldn’t help shaking her head; she immediately regretted it, the pain in her head flaring.

“I was keepin’ it to myself, okay?” she said finally. “Ya didn’t notice anythin’ because I didn’t want ya to know anythin’ was wrong.” She looked away, her fists clenching. “I got it into my head that I just had to prove myself, that I could just show ya what I could do; ya saw how that ended.”

“But why not tell me?” Rachel asked. And inside, Fanny felt her façade begin to crack, an old impulse rising up from somewhere inside. Because deep down, it all came back to that same one issue, the one she had been trying so hard not to even think about. But now, looking up at Rachel again, she found she couldn’t keep it down any longer.

“It’s… complicated, Rachel,” she admitted. “I could try and explain it, but…” she trailed off, one arm reaching up to awkwardly rub the other. She felt Rachel’s grip on her shoulder tighten just a little, offering gentle reassurance, and finally she knew what she had to say. “I need to ask ya something first, and ya haveta be honest with me.”

“Of course, Fanny.” Rachel didn’t even hesitate. Fanny took a deep breath, steeling herself, and quietly she spoke again.

“You have a crush on Numbuh 1,” she said bluntly, “don’t ya?”

Rachel blinked, her grip on Fanny’s shoulder slipping free in surprise. For a moment, the other girl could only watch as a mix of emotions crossed her face all at once, before she finally settled on confusion. She tilted her head to one side, blonde bangs shifting.

“Nigel?” she asked, disbelief creeping into her voice. “Do you really think that?” Fanny just froze, not sure if she had heard right; she had been so sure there were feelings there, so sure she had to bottle everything up as a result; had she been wrong?

Rachel’s expression softened, a small smile settling on her lips. “Nigel’s a good friend,” she explained softly. “He’s someone I can talk to, like you; he helped me figure a lot of stuff out when I wasn’t sure if I wanted to be Supreme Leader anymore. But I just don’t see him that way.

“Why does that matter?” she continued, but Fanny didn’t reply. She couldn’t; suddenly all her words were lodged in her throat, unwilling to come out. Part of her was furious at herself for assuming wrong, part of her was suddenly hopeful, and part of her didn’t know what to think.

“Wait…” Realisation bloomed in Rachel’s brown eyes, her face flushed just a little redder, and in that moment, Fanny knew she understood. “Fanny, is that your way of saying you _like_ me?”

There it was: the root of Fanny’s issues, the one little topic that she tried again and again to avoid thinking about, the thing she had been most jealous of Numbuh 1 over. It seemed so silly now, so selfish, so stupid that she had ever let that get in the way of her job. But here she was, her head aching and her clothes muddy, her whole future still possibly up in the air because of it.

“Aye.” She couldn’t bring herself to lie anymore; the care and concern in her friend’s tone was just too much. And suddenly she found her words again, fists clenching as her soul spilled out. “How could I not? Yer the star of the Kids Next Door, the best Supreme Leader we’ve ever had, the girl who’s better than any boy an’ proved it twice over.

“You’re a good friend, Rachel, even after all this; ya care about yer operatives, about all of us kids, and about me in a way I don’t think anyone else does. How could I not fall for ya?” She felt herself welling up a little, the dam she had built inside giving way at once.

“But I know I’m not good enough; I try and claim I’m as good as ya and I put on me bravest face but I just ain’t like ya and I know that. So I kept it all down inside; even when I was feeling like ya’d forgotten me, I didn’t wanna say anything ‘cause I knew this would end up spilling out. I’m sorry, sir.”

She sniffled, reaching up to wipe away the beginnings of tears in her eyes. But as her she lowered her hands again Rachel reached out and took them, her own hands soft and careful, and suddenly Fanny felt like the air around her was full of warmth.

“Fanny, I…” Rachel seemed as lost for words as her friend had been. She took a deep breath, before continuing uncertainly. “I had no idea you felt that way. You’re not giving yourself enough credit; you’re an amazing leader too. I know I considered Nigel for the position of Global Tactical Officer first, but you were more than just an afterthought; there’s eleventy-hundred kids who would kill for that position but you and Nigel were the only two I ever considered. And if I’m honest, I can see now that you’re the better choice for that job; Numbuh 1’s the best field operative I have, but you’re the best second-in-command I could’ve asked for.

“You’ve been behind me the whole way, from the Chicken Pox epidemic to losing Ashley to becoming Supreme Leader. I couldn’t have done any of that without you. And if I’m really honest, Fanny, you’re not the only one with feelings.”

Fanny didn’t know what to say to that; for what felt like the hundredth time that afternoon she couldn’t get the words out. She wanted to ask how far those feelings went, if there was still a chance they could be shared, why Rachel hadn’t been able to tell her. But the other girl spoke again, softly, before she could put any of that into words.

“I thought you didn’t like girls that way,” she admitted idly, her gaze turning down to their held hands, “after what happened with Numbuh 19th Century. So I did what you did; I hid it all inside; but I think avoiding it just made everything worse.”

“Can’t a girl like all the genders?” Fanny couldn’t help asking, a small smile overcoming her face. “T’be honest with ya, Rachel; Numbuh 19th Century’s the only boy I’ve ever felt that way for. And deep down, I was only distractin’ myself from ya.”

She took a deep breath, trying to bury her uncertainty, and forced herself to meet Rachel’s uncertain gaze. “I’d still be up for givin’ this romance thing a try, properly, if ya can forgive me for nearly ruinin’ this mission.”

“Only if you can forgive me for not appreciating you.” There was trust in Rachel’s eyes, something warm filling the open air between them, and Fanny felt like she was falling in love for the first time all over again.

“Aye, I can do that.” She nodded firmly. Rachel didn’t reply with words; instead she leaned forwards, pressing her lips to Fanny’s cheek for the briefest moment. The girl went bright red, breaking into a grin, all her worries gone. For the first time in a long while, she felt alright.

“Awww!” A sudden voice broke through the moment; Fanny’s gaze snapped around, only for her eyes to go wide as she realised she and Rachel weren’t alone. Standing across the S.U.B.U.R.B.A.N’s hold was the entirety of Sector Z, grinning from ear-to-ear.

“Congrats!” Ashley grinned. Fanny went beet red.

“Just how long have ya lot been standin’ there?!”

* * *

The Kids Next Door Super Convention Centre was absolutely heaving. The stands of the massive stadium at the heart of the complex were packed to the brim, every seat filled as every available operative waited for the announced super-secret meeting. Fanny stood ready on the podium, beside the lift down to the staging area below, the rest of KND Global Command sitting behind her. Elite security operatives and the entirety of Decommissioning Squad stood on parade before them, M.U.S.K.E.Ts and S.C.A.M.P.Ps at the ready.

The hum of conversation echoed through the room. But as Fanny listened, she heard a rumble from beside her; the elevator below starting up. In an instant she snapped to attention; she knew it was time to begin.

“Kids Next Door! _Atteeeention_!” she bellowed, loud enough that her words echoed off the stadium walls. In an instant the hum of conversation died to nothing, just as the elevator rose to the podium’s level.

Rachel was stood atop it, the purple blades of her helmet glinting in the high sunlight as she raised one fist into the air. It was a ceremony Fanny knew well; she couldn’t help smiling at the sight.

“Kids Next Door rule!” Rachel declared. In an instant every fist in the building was raised, high and triumphant.

 _“Kids Next Door rule, sir!”_ the crowd roared in reply, the sound rolling down to the podium and up to the roof at once. Rachel nodded, stepping up to the front of the podium where a lectern rose from the floor to meet her; behind her, the elevator lowered again with a clunk of machinery.

“At ease, everyone,” she began. “Today, I have a super-double-importanic announcement to make. Last night I, the operatives of Sector V, and Numbuh 86 carried out what might have been the most important Kids Next Door mission since the Grandfather Incident.”

She gestured for Fanny to step up beside her; the other girl did, feeling a swelling of pride at her words. As she stood at attention she felt one of Rachel’s hands find her own and take it, a quiet show of their newfound relationship in front of the whole organisation. She couldn’t help grinning, giving Rachel’s hand a squeeze.

“As of today,” Rachel continued, squeezing back, “thanks to the brave work of those operatives, I am proud to announce that the Delightful Children From Down The Lane are no more! Those five no-good delinquents will never pose a threat to the Kids Next Door again!”

A sudden cheer rang out among the crowd; looking up, Fanny could see the kids in the rows around Sector V turning to look at them, bombarding them with questions and congratulations. She was suddenly very glad she was down here, away from the roaring kids.

Rachel opened her mouth to speak again, only to close it and frown. The assembled kids were still talking animatedly, too excited to be quiet, and in an instant Fanny knew what she had to do. She flashed Rachel a confident smile, taking a deep breath.

“Quiet down!” she bellowed. “Yer supreme leader ain’t done talking!” In an instant the noise went silent. Rachel sighed, glancing thankfully to her girlfriend before turning back to the crowd.  
  
“Thank you,” she began. “As Numbuh 86 says, destroying the Delightful Children was only one part of our mission. Because they were not really Father’s children; the truth is, the Delightful Children used to be kids, just like us, kids many of you may have known in the past. Yes, the truth is that our greatest enemies were in fact the famous missing Sector Z.”

Behind her, Fanny heard the elevator rumble to life again; that was Sector Z’s cue. A gasp rang out through the crowd. Rachel went on.

“And now, thanks to the efforts of Numbuh 86 and Sector V, those operatives are free of the delightfulisation Father used to control them.” The elevator reached its apex, the five members of Sector Z stepping out into the sunlight behind Rachel and Fanny. “So today, we celebrate the formal reinstatement of Sector Z as an active Kids Next Door unit, and welcome back the missing operatives!”

Another cheer rang out, bigger than the last, louder than Fanny had ever heard it. Older operatives celebrated the return of missing friends and comrades, while younger kids just got caught up in the wave of enthusiasm. And watching it all, and feeling Rachel squeeze her hand again, Fanny couldn’t help smiling. It seemed that everything had worked out in the end, despite her insubordination.


End file.
